'Know Your Fabrics' - Worsted Wool

I’m getting back into the swing of regular posts after some hectic weekends/weeks of traveling, so I thought I’d start things off by putting up a new ‘Know Your Fabrics’ post. This time around, we’re taking a look at worsted wool:

Worsted actually refers to a type of yarn, and the name itself (like so many other textile terms) comes from a town in the UK (England, specifically), Worstead, which was one of the first manufacturing centers of the yarn.

Woollen yarn (yep, that’s the term), in contrast to worsted wool, is made from uneven fibers (both long and short), left with their natural crimps, which results in a light and airy yarn that is a great insulator, and is therefore well-suited to knit garments like sweaters and scarfs.

On the other hand, worsted wool uses only long fibers, with the smaller fibers being removed through a variety of processes that make the production of worsted yarn much more complicated and time-consuming that woollen. These long fibers are not carded, like with woollen yarn, but instead combed with long-tooth metal combs until the fibers are running in parallel, after which it is oiled and spun, resulting in a stronger, straighter, and sleeker yarn.

The combination of the less ‘fluffy’ hand-feel and much more involved and expensive manufacturing process, worsted yarns are almost never used  for knitwear. Instead, they are most often woven into a shiny and resilient fabric that has become a staple in suiting, but can also be found in carpeting and hosiery, among other less common goods.

Worsted suiting fabric.

In suiting, worsted wool is desirable not only for it’s slight sheen, which creates a more formal or dressy look than non-worsted wools like tweed or flannel, but also for it’s tendency to be less wrinkle-prone, as the slightly stiffer fibers bounce back to their straight form relatively easily. Additionally, the coarser yarn can be woven much more loosely, which is advantageous for tropical-weight fabrics as it results in much greater breathability.

It’s always a goal to end these posts with some recommended products. That said, since worsted wool is used almost exclusively (in menswear at least), for suiting, our picks this time around are a bit limited. That said, we did manage to throw in some variety when it comes to price and seasonality.

First up is this summer suit, made from that looser-woven worsted wool that we mentioned:

"Lotus" Lightweight Worsted Wool Suit | Barneys New York

Tropical-weight wool is actually kind of hard to find outside of bespoke suit-makers (this pick from Barney’s is one of the few ready-to-wear options that we could dig up), and even when you do find that lightweight suit, chances are it’ll be a bit pricey - this pick is quite obviously out of most of our price ranges. Hence, a lot of fellas end up with cotton or linen fabric for their summer suits, even though lightweight worsted wool will actually keep you even cooler.

Next, we’ve got a few all-season worsted wool suits. Since they are fully lined, they won’t be quite breezy enough for the hottest weather. At the same time, they aren’t a heavy, insulating wool, making them relatively versatile.

On the more affordable end of the spectrum, J.Crew Factory offers their worsted Thompson Suit for just over $300 (but much less during their relatively frequent sales):

Thompson Suit Jacket in Worsted Wool | J.Crew Factory (pants here)

At a more middling price range, Suit Supply is a very solid choice. They do have much bolder prints, but we'll stick with the staples and recommend this navy suit that clocks in at $469:

Blue Plain Havana Suit | SuitSupply

Now, if you want to go all sorts of baller, MR PORTER has this Richard James number, which runs a more significant $980, but is sure to make you the sharpest man in pretty much any room:

Prince of Wales Check Worsted-Wool Suit | Richard James via MR PORTER

I'm sure most of you who already own a suit will have something in worsted wool - any thoughts on the pros and cons? Share in the comments below.

'Know Your Fabrics' - End-on-End

Still churning through our ‘Know Your Fabrics’ series, we’re back at it this week with a look at ‘End-on-End’, another very popular fabric used primarily in shirting.

End-on-end fabric (also called ‘fil-a-fil’ by the French - translates to ‘thread to thread’) is actually very similar to Poplin in that they are made using a one-to-one square weave, resulting in a nice smooth fabric. However, end-on-end gets a characteristic added visual depth by swapping out the horizontal threads with white, similar to the warp and weft threads in denim (although denim is produced in a twill weave).

The result is a shirt fabric that doesn’t appear as flat and even as a poplin or broadcloth, instead taking on a heathered, or even finely checked appearance up close. This adds some versatility as it makes the shirt easier to dress down (although still wholly acceptable as a formal dress shirt). These fabrics also tend to break in well over time, and can even achieve ‘fades’ like you see in denim as the white horizontal threads become more visible through the vertical colored threads.

The hand of the fabric remains very similar to poplin or broadcloth, as the close weave results in a lighter, smoother fabric, and thus it’s tendency to be used as a shirting fabric (rather than heavier fabrics that can be applied to trousers, outerwear, etc.).

End-on-end shirts are almost always woven with a single color (and the white threads), although sometimes textile producers will swap out the white threads for a second color, or will incorporate some stripes into the pattern (usually thin, white stripes).

Perhaps the most popular variation on end-on-end (at least in my wardrobe, and the modern menswear scene), is chambray, which differentiates from standard end-on-end only in the finishing process, which normally involves some type of ‘glazing’ or ‘calendaring’ to give it that characteristic hint of shine.

As we’ve mentioned, this fabric is almost exclusively used for shirting, although with the experimental nature of evolving fashion trends, I’m sure you can find it used in other applications somewhere. For now, though, we’re sticking to shirts, and have picked out a few of our favorites for anyone looking to add some end-on-end to their wardrobes:

First, about as classic as you get, here’s a solid number from Everlane. I’m a big fan of end-on-end shirts in these lighter, spring-timey colors like mint or this peachy red. I think the white threads help give a bit of a worn-and-washed look that keeps you out of ‘easter sunday’ outfit territory:

Slim Fit End-On-End in Red | Everlane

J.Crew also has some great end-on-end shirts in solid colors, and many are currently significantly marked down. 

We also mentioned that end-on-end shirts often incorporate a fine stripe, like this one from Brooks Brothers:

Blue End-on-End with White Stripe Sport Shirt | Brooks Brothers

You’ll find stripes in other colors, but we think just a subtle white one is the way to go:

While not as popular or widely available, you can occasionally find end-on-end shirts woven in other patterns as well, like this checked fabric available at Proper Cloth:

Thomas Mason Pink End on End Check | Proper Cloth

Because of the versatility inherent to an end-on-end fabric, we think it’s a great choice for a MTM shirt. Beyond the above, Proper Cloth currently has several other options in end-on-end fabric, in stripes, checks and solids.

Last, since we mentioned it’s very close relationship to plain old end-on-end, here’s one our recent favorites in chambray. It's not cheap by any means, but this popover from J.Crew is high on my wish-list:

Japanese Chambray Popover | J.Crew

Do you have any end-on-end fabrics in your wardrobe? Any favorite pieces? Share in the comments!

'Know Your Fabrics' - Broadcloth

On to another week of ‘Know Your Fabrics.’ OK, so we’re admittedly kind of cheating here by having a separate article on broadcloth versus poplin, which we covered a few weeks ago. Why is that? To be perfectly honest, they are basically the same cloth.

Both have a one-to-one square weave, both are used almost exclusively for shirting, in fact there really is only one marginal difference: where poplin shirts can, and often do, use threads of differing thickness for the warp vs. the weft, broadcloth uses exclusively one thread for both.

In other words, poplin shirts can be woven in a way that provides a slight (usually vertical) ribbing, allowing for some extra texture which can either add visual depth or even dress down a fabric. Broadcloth is by definition flat and smooth, which means it lends very well to more dressy shirts:

Additionally, the popularity of broadcloth as a fabric for shirting means that you can find it in pretty much any style, color, or weight, and could potentially rock a 100% broadcloth shirt closet, summer to winter, and still inject a solid amount of variety.

Historically, broadcloth is probably one of the oldest textile weaves currently available. Like most fabrics, it was originally woven from wool, and was actually produced in larger-than-standard sheets. These sheets were then shrunk down through a washing process in order to reach the desired size, which resulted in a much tighter woven fabric, with fibers binding together for a felted hand-feel. 

To my understanding, woolen broadcloth is still produced to achieve this felted quality, which makes it durable and decently weather-resistant. You might hear this fabric referred to as ‘Melton Wool’ - and maybe we’ll do a separate article focusing on this subset in the future!

Meanwhile, we’ve picked a few options to try to highlight the range of broadcloth shirts on the market:

A classic, crisp white button-down is the go-to dress shirt for countless stylish men. This option from Club Monaco hits all the right notes, and is marked down by over 60% to just $50:

Slim-Fit Broadcloth Shirt | Club Monaco

These shirts from Ralph Lauren have been brushed to achieve what the call a ‘sueded’ feel that could be great for fall and winter:

Custom-Fit Sueded Broadcloth | Polo Ralph Lauren

Broadcloth’s characteristic smoothness makes it a popular fabric for printed designs, like this black-on-white pin-dot from Uniqlo:

Broadcloth Printed Long Sleeve Shirt | Uniqlo

Sure, it’s a bit out of season to be finding heavy Melton wool garments, but that also means that the pieces you will find are likely to be nicely marked down, like this pea coat by Schott via Orvis for just $220:

Naval Wool Peacoat | Schott via Orvis

Do you have broadcloth fabrics in your wardrobe? What are your favorite pieces?

'Know Your Fabrics' - Poplin

And we’re back with more knowledge for y’all. This time, the ‘Know Your Fabrics’ series takes a look at Poplin, one of the most common shirting fabrics available.

Like twill, poplin refers to the weave of the fabric - while it was originally woven with specific threads (silk weft and worst yarn warp), those standards have largely been abandoned and the fabric can now be found in a wide variety of materials, from silk to cotton to wool and more (cotton tends to be the most common, and likely our favorite). The weaving pattern, however has remained the same.

Where twill was an ‘offset’ weave that resulted in diagonal ribbing, poplin is a square or even weave, which results in a much smoother, flatter finish. The characteristic pattern of poplin involves a thicker thread running one way (usually the warp), with a thinner thread running the other direction (usually the weft). Compared to broadcloth, a similar square-weave fabric that we will look at more closely in an upcoming post, poplin is normally less densely woven, which makes it softer, but also less crisp and therefore a bit more casual.

As poplin can (and often tends to be) a lighter fabric - plus that looser weave is much more breathable than many other options -  it’s a favorite of many for spring and summer shirting (although thicker poplin shirts can definitely be found and worn year round). A few of Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets’ go-to shirting companies offer a great selection through the warmer months, including Everlane, or Uniqlo for more bargain options.

Slim Fit Poplin Shirt | Everlane

Fine Poplin Long Sleeve Shirt | Uniqlo

Whereas we hunt down twill for any number of garments, our use of poplin is a little more limited to shirting. However, you can find some nice, water-resistant poplin jackets that make a perfect lightweight cover-up come cool spring nights or surprise showers.

Poplin Single Breasted Mac | Topman

Last, we have been seeing some poplin ties popping up - it’s not a huge phenomenon, as the fabric’s inherent thinness often doesn’t allow for much structure in a tie, and therefore often a weak knot, but we’ve seen it done very well by a few tie-makers. The results are definitely more casual, but the lightness of the fabric really hits the spring/summer vibe quite well.

Atkinson Irish Poplin Tie | Sid Mashburn

Slub Poplin Irregular Stripe Tie | The Hill-Side via Hickorees

Do you have any poplin pieces in your rotation? Any favorites? Chime in below.

Know Your Fabrics - Twill (and Herringbone)

As you'll recall from last week, we are starting a few ongoing series to expand your book-smarts when it comes to style and menswear. We're dropping knowledge on you again this week, as we bust out our 'Know Your Fabrics' series with this piece on twill, one of the most common weaves throughout apparel textiles.

As I inferred, 'twill' refers to the weave of a fabric, rather than the material - you can have cotton twill, wool twill, linen twill, heck, even polyester twill, although I'd avoid it (big fan of natural fibers here). The defining characteristic of a twill fabric is the 'stepped' or offset weaving pattern, which creates minute diagonal ribs - really, these are most often so small that you can only notice them up close. 

Notice the diagonal 'ribbing.'

In contrast to straight or box weaves, the diagonal weave allows these fabrics to stretch (again, minutely) in the direction of wear, which allows them to drape much more nicely than non-twill counterparts. Also, twill fabrics tend to be just a bit denser and heavier - not that it's all heavyweight, but more that you are unlikely to see super lightweight twill pieces.

Like I said before, twill is everywhere, and is actually a defining weave for some fabrics (as far as I know, the only difference between chambray and denim - both woven with a colored warp and white weft - is that denim is always twill). Another fun fact - the diagonal weave in twill almost always goes in the same direction, but every so often a manufacturer switches it up, resulting in a 'left-hand' twill, like these jeans from Gustin (not currently available, but they return periodically, or you can try out the second option, a bit more expensive, from Naked Famous via Nordstrom):

'The Lefty' Selvedge Denim | Gustin

'Weird Guy' Slim Fit Left Hand Twill Selvedge Jeans | Naked and Famous via Nordstrom

Beyond denim, nearly all (if not all) of your chinos will be twill, whether they are regular cotton, heavier canvas, or lightweight 'summer' chinos. Some of our favorites come from J.Crew Factory, who have a great selection (at great prices) on sale right now:

Driggs Broken-In Chino | J.Crew Factory

This also tends to be the go-to-weave for cotton sport coats (though it can be used for wool or other materials as well). My lightweight blazer in a cotton/linen blend from Uniqlo is made with a twill weave, and is a must-have for the summer, if you ask me. Unfortunately, a lot of other fellas thought so too, and Uniqlo is clean out of the damn things. However (lucky you), GANT has this sharp number marked down to a surprisingly affordable $150 (and that's from an original $500 price-tag):

Cotton Twill Blazer | GANT

Last, I have to mention that I think a bright white twill dress shirt is about as classy as you can get - the beautiful drape and subtle texture, alongside a spread collar and some MOP buttons, well, yum. The bad news is that it can be hard to find a shirt like that for cheap - I had two made custom my Modern Tailor, and those were modeled off this version by Ledbury. Like I said, not cheap, but if you're looking for a splurge, you won't go wrong with this one:

The White Royal Twill | Ledbury

Really, though, twill is such an ubiquitous fabric that we could run an endless list of products made with the characteristic weave. Instead, we'll leave you with this final tidbit - herringbone fabric is actually just an alternating twill weave - instead of allowing the diagonal weave to run continuously in one direction, herringbone fabric switches the direction of the twill at regular increments. The result looks reminiscent of the bones of a herring, hence the name! Where a regular twill will look solid from a distance, herringbone (especially when accentuated with colors or textures), can come out in an almost striped appearance, like these chinos from Dockers:

'Earl' Slim Fit Herringbone Alpha Chinos | Dockers via Nordstrom

And there you have it! One day older, one day smarter. Tune in on Friday (or Thursday night, if I'm feeling industrious) for this week's round of Deals and Steals! Meanwhile, have any favorite pieces in twill or herringbone? Tell us about it!